help the installers log mac/serial for customer

[russell_ezzell]

Ruckus needs an easily removed sticker on the AP with serial number and mac address. This will allow installers to stick them on the install plan maps and not have to break out a pen and write a bunch of information down on paper for the customer. Xirrus does this and it is quite convenient.

[amit_rele]

All,
Thank you for these very good suggestions. There is some work being done in Ruckus on mobile apps. I'm not sure if you've seen ZoneDirector Remote Control? It's currently available on the iPad and we're planning on taking it to Google Play very soon.

Can you help me understand your business process? Is the inventory update something that you run once at AP turn-up or something like a dump of the existing ZD's currently managed APs?

One of the use cases that we're working on involves dynamically connecting to the AP itself to extract additional info, such as:
Serial Number, Mac Addr, Assigned IP, Location (Lat/Long), AP Model, Software version, etc. and then emailing it.
However, this would only include info that's available in software (as opposed to things like manufactured date). Would something like this be useful?

If anyone has other suggested metrics beyond the above, please let me know.

[kurt_todoroff]

Hello, Amit.

I like the general theme of your idea.

Perhaps, we could access the ZD, click on Administer, and then, click on XXXX. This would display a page that provided several options for gathering, sorting, and providing the aggregate network ZF information. The User could display the data for one or more ZFs on this page (User selectable), and then, select the option to save the data as a raw data text file or formatted PDF file or formatted Excel spreadsheet file, or send the raw data file or PDF file or XLSS file in an email, in one user action. I would like to see other contributors provide their comments and ideas on mine, as well.

Another thought: this page could provide some data entry fields for the User to customize the final output (header, footer, et cetera). For example:

VAR Name
Address
City, State Zip+4
Telephone
Email
URL
Other Data

Client Name
Address
City, State Zip+4
Telephone
Email
URL
Other Data

Perhaps, other fields for things like the project name, device installation date, et cetera.

Here is another idea. We could enter the VAR information and the client information into our ZDs at our business office, and store it, ahead of the system deployment at the client's site. This page would provide the ability to export this information to a file. Copy the file to a flash drive, and then, upload it to the client's ZD at their site, once the system deployment is complete. Verify the uploaded data for accuracy, and then, use it for the formatted header/footer in the previously mentioned text file / PDF file / XLSS file. If we create this data page on our ZD at our office, perhaps, we could make it available through the Internet to our client's system (password protected for us only, of course). This would eliminate the intermediate step of using a thumb drive to transfer the data from our office to the client's location.

Kurt

[russell_ezzell]

Those are all great ideas too, but what I originally intended was a physical way to quickly identify where you install an access point, especially if you have hundreds.

For example, every time installers come to campus to put in new equipment, I give them maps in a binder to show where everything goes. As they install stuff they inevitably take out their pencils and draw on the map when the put something in that spot. I then need to take that marking they made and cross reference it with what the ZD is telling me the serial/MAC address is for my records. (for my Ruckus install, I actually had them give me the empty box so I could record the mac/serial, and they were piled to the ceiling in my office by the time they were done).

Xirrus had the best solution for this. They would unbox an access point, stick it on the ceiling, and then pull the identify sticker off the unit and stick it on my map. Each unit had two identity stickers on it, one on top of the other with a pull tab, so it was designed for this purpose. At the end of the day, the xirrus guys handed me maps that already had serial/mac information on it. Pretty handy.

That was my suggestion.

-Russell

[kurt_todoroff]

I like it, Russell. Perhaps, a synergy of ideas?

Best wishes.

Kurt

[arron_lee]

Hi,
As for me, I am testing the related .net barcode scanner these days. Do you have any ideas about it? Or any good suggestion? I am totally a green hand on barcode reading field. Any suggestion will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Arron